Australian FM visits Sydney Chinatown to celebrate Lunar New Year

CANBERRA, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop visited Sydney Chinatown to wish the Chinese Australian a happy Lunar New year on Saturday, the second day of the Chinese new year.

When asked whether Prime Minister Tony Abbott has a message to the Chinese community, Bishop, also deputy leader of the Liberal party, said Abbott asked her to come to Chinatown to represent him "because he understands how important the Australian Chinese community is to the prosperity of this country."

"He wishes all the members of the Chinese community the very best for the new year. It's going to be a great year," she said.

Bishop, accompanied by Chinese community leaders and federal MPs from local electorates and led by several dancing lions, toured several streets of Sydney Chinatown and gave out little red bags with a 20 cent coin to visitors and shop owners.

Bishop said the relations between Australia and China are very strong. "There are strong government links, business, trade and investment links. But most important is the people-to-people links you can see around you today."